The Portland daily press., 1887-07-04
COMMENCEMENT AT COLBY.
The BaocaIaureate Sermon Yester.
day by President Pepper.

WATERvILLE, July 3.-The commence
ment exercises at Colby University began
this afternoon with the baccalaureate SER
mon by President Pepper, in the Baptist
church. The text was from Matthew, 10 :25
SIT is enough for the disciple that he be as
his Master, and the disciple as his Lord p
President Peppers line of thought was as
follows:
''The words of the text were spoken to the
twelve apostles as they were about to go out
for work. The same Master speaks them to-
day tc those who are about to leave college
for that which lies beyond. The message
recognizes desire in every one TO become
and be the most and the best possible, and to
that desire it gives direction and the promise
of fulfllment.
Two things must each one attain-the Gre
alton OF his own manhood in wise self-build-
ing, and the adjustment of himself to the
duties OF his own time. The first task is
common to all. The second varies with the
times. In each respect it is enough for the
disciple that he be as his Master.
divine plan, which also was adopted by Him.
self as His plan. He did not drift, was no
sport of chance or child of fate.
The spirit in which His plan was wrought
out was love. This, on the one side, was all
gentle. genial, tender grace; was kindness,
rious sacrifice; was dying love. On the 9TH
er side it combined the solidities of human
character.-tr justice, righteousness, ho-
illness, frmness, wrath, retribution. Jesus
was both lamb and the lion; but whether
lion or lamb he was always and only love
Manhood is not true if it is mere good ma,
ture; manhood is inhuman if it have no Low.
ing kindness and tender mercy. Blend to-
gether justice and mercy.
So was there completeness in his life, the
harmony and music of parts adjusted, a
structure having neither excess nor defect.
Look again at Christ's life in its special
FORMS His body was the facile instrument
OF His soul. He came eating and drinking
but not as glutton or wine-bibber. He form
ed no habit which made of His body the
weight on His spirit to drag it from its swift
flight and sweet song in mid air to wallow in
the mire, a swine and worm. 1t is enough
for the disciple that herein he be as his
Master.
We look through the transparent body into
the Masters intellect, and study his inteili-
gence. The student trained to thought does
this with fond interest. The gospel which
decries reason can gain no hearing within
college walls. We must know he who does
not know can neither be our Master nor oul
Lord; can neither teach nor control us. As
we look we see in Him mind keen clear, as.
tute. profound, comprehensive. Christ's
casual remarks were flashes of light. Hi.
conversations were luminous with truth
His sustained discourses were as the sur
shining in his strength. 1t is enough for the
disciple, even If he be college graduate, to bt
as this Master
Intellect tends to glorify intellect, and in
| spire sensibility. We speak lightly of feel.
ing And so there grows up an intellectual
| ism, grand, it may be, and brilliant, as
brilliant and grand as Arctic ice fields, wher
| the unsetting sun clothes them In perpetua
| splendors-brilliant and grand hut so bar
| rem that nowhere can be found even firing,
| of verdure. Mans head has its rights, but
| so, too. has mans heart. And in Christ sen
| sibility had its due. He will be no true MAJ
| in whom there is not in like manner q sensi
| bility rich in all normal activities and real
| iZations.
| And with these went a mastering powe
! of executive will. Jesus was the might,
worker. 1t was not enough for him to SCI
| and knoxville would not rest in the con
scions outgo and outflow of emotion. Their,
were ends to be accomplished and work t,
be- done. He conquered his appetite, de
| sires, affections, emotions, s,-conquered b,
controlling them: Nothing turned him back
OF turned him aside from his plan of life
He executed his purpose. And he onl,
''gets on" well i'll this world who in lik
manner does his duty and works out hi
own and Gods plan of life.
Finally, one meets Alright the questions o
his own time-who is Christ-like? A Christ
IKE IKE lnaliIi9ou Is the essentlal preparation 10
this, we see in him that which adapts itsel
to the tendencies of our times. Our ow
time thrusts upon us questions that sprin
out of this growing sense of human brother
hood. The spirit of liberty rightly assert
itself. but wrongly rushes toward anarchy
liberty and law, liberty in law-here is ou
need, our peril, and our problem.
And so every question that meets us, as in
divlduals and as society, has material for il
answer in the principles of our Lords life
He was man of his own times, radical, yt
conservative. looking and pressing forward
yet not breaking with the course of pas
achievement, battling heroically the sins {
his time, yet with words of cheer and han
OF help for any good work.